By JEN BAYLON

Negros Occidental 5th District Representative Atty. Dino Yulo has thrown his support behind efforts to bolster funding for the Sugarcane Industry Development Act (SIDA).

Yulo, a former Sugar Board member, highlighted the necessity for the SIDA Fund to evolve alongside current challenges, citing escalating costs in project execution, particularly for crucial initiatives.

“While initiatives, such as farm-to-market roads and educational assistance, are vital, our immediate focus should address issues within the block farm program and the procurement process managed by the Sugar Regulatory Administration [SRA],” Yulo emphasized.

Acknowledging SRA’s regulatory role, Yulo proposed expanding its mandate to include overseeing developmental projects.

He also advocated for establishing a dedicated management office to enhance the efficiency of SIDA fund utilization.

Currently, SRA allocates around P2 billion annually for programs aimed at advancing the sugarcane sector.

However, due to underutilization, the fund has gradually diminished, dwindling to slightly over P1 billion in 2024.

House Bills 835 and 2207 seek to raise the SIDA Fund to P5 billion per year.

These bills are currently under review by the House Committee on Agriculture and Food./JB, WDJ